La Brea Fire Update–Evening of August 11, 2009

An Evacuation Order has been issued for the following area in the vicinity of the La Brea fire: Sierra Madre Road as the western boundary, Cottonwood Road on the south, Highway 166 on the east, and Spoor Canyon on the north. This area includes Moon and Eckert Canyons. The evacuation involves 14 occupied ranches. … In addition. the Evacuation Warning area is now moved to include areas bounded by Cottonwood Road and Wasioja Road, between Highway 166 and Sierra Madre Road. Evacuation Warning means people need to be prepared to leave at a moment’s notice.

Here are some basic statistics:
• 21,000 acres have burned
• 1,062 personnel on scene: 23 engines, 34 crews
• 1 air attack tanker and 9 helicopters
• The Fire is 10% contained
• Cost so far is $2.1 million
• Injuries to date: one injury to firefighter: an abdominal hernia
Road Closures: Colson Canyon Road is only open to local residents; Highway 166 is open, but motorists are asked to watch out for fire engines and other large vehicles, or to find an alternate route if they can. Parts of the Los Padres National Forest are closed because of the fire.

Air Pollution Control authorities have issued an Air Quality Watch – the La Brea Fire is creating a lot of smoke, and depending on the wind it may be impacting populated areas in the region. For more about Air Quality, go to Our Air dot org.

The Santa Barbara Chapter of the American Red Cross is establishing a emergency shelter at Benjamin Foxen School, located at 4949 Foxen Canyon Rd, in the town of Sisquoc. People can contact the Red Cross at 805.687.1331, or go to www.sbredcross.org.

General Fire Information is available at www.inciweb.org or on the County’s website, www.CountyofSB.org. … Or call the US Forest Service Fire Information Line at (805) 961-5770 from 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Fire investigators have set up a tip-line; please call (805) 686-5074 if you have information about how the fire started.
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